Arthur C. Brooks in The Atlantic (April 17, 2025)
Former professional musician and think tank president turned Harvard professor, Arthur Brooks has been publishing regular columns in The Atlantic over the past few years with a focus on happiness (in the Aristotelian sense) and the good life.
In his most recent article, Brooks focused on self-awareness, in the spirit of Socrates and Seneca, with a nod to the latest developments in neuroscience. Both the ancients and contemporary brain scientists conclude that humans are notoriously self-deceiving: “Not only do we not know ourselves; we don’t know we don’t know ourselves.”
Though it sounds simply, Know thyself is a tall order. Which is why Brooks encourages his readers to build habits of honesty and introspection that move beyond our self-protecting ignorance. This requires more vulnerability, an openness to change, and getting started today!
This short read could help any teacher (or parent or school leader) take the next step toward a more realistic self-assessment—which could become the pathway to greater self-knowledge and excellence.
